# amicus vs animus

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### amicus
*noun · IPA /ˈæm.ɪ.kəs/ · frequency rank #39,677*
Someone not a party to a case who submits a brief and/or presents oral argument in that case.

### animus
*noun · IPA /ˈæ.nɪ.məs/ · frequency rank #41,505*
The basic impulses and instincts which govern one's actions.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/amicus-vs-animus